In a week's time, African Fashion International (AFI) will be hosting the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Africa (MBFW Africa) from 30 October to 2 November 2013.

The collections of more than 30 top African designers from 15 countries will be showcased in 20 runway shows in the City of Tshwane, the African Capital of Excellence.

Featured designers represent some of the best of African collections from across the continent and the Diaspora.

Highlights include Taibo Bacar (Winner of the 2012 Designer of the Year – AFI Africa Fashion Awards) from Mozambique; Mille Collines from Rwanda; Mina Evans and Duaba Serwa from Ghana; Sheria Ngowi and Mustafa Hassanali from Tanzania; David Tlale, Marianne Fassler and Thula Sindi from South Africa. This exceptional line-up is a testament to AFI’s commitment to excellence in presenting the best in creative innovation and commercial success.

AFI Executive Chairperson, Dr. Precious Moloi-Motsepe said in a statement that, “MBFW Africa is the pinnacle of African fashion: the platform is the gateway between African designers and the global fashion community to engage and promote our local industry.

"African designers have shown themselves to be world-class in their creativity and aesthetic, and MBFW Africa strives to heighten accessibility to new markets through regional and international exposure, creating a global desire for African-designed fashion. ”

During Fashion Week, AFI will also be presenting a retail element: the Africa Fashion Trade Expo (AFTE).

The AFTE offers designers the opportunity to engage in business-to-business networking with the media and buyers as well as business-to-consumer sales directly to the public.

The finale show of AFI Fastrack™ 2013, AFI’s development initiative, will be held on 26 October 2013, in Johannesburg.